Phase field modeling of electrochemistry II: Kinetics

The kinetic behavior of a phase field model of electrochemistry is explored for advancing (electrodeposition) and receding (electrodissolution) conditions in one dimension. We described the equilibrium behavior of this model in [J. E. Guyer, W. J. Boettinger, J.A. Warren, and G. B. McFadden, ``Phase field modeling of electrochemistry I: Equilibrium'', cond-mat/0308173]. We examine the relationship between the parameters of the phase field method and the more typical parameters of electrochemistry. We demonstrate ohmic conduction in the electrode and ionic conduction in the electrolyte. We find that, despite making simple, linear dynamic postulates, we obtain the nonlinear relationship between current and overpotential predicted by the classical ``Butler-Volmer'' equation and observed in electrochemical experiments. The charge distribution in the interfacial double layer changes with the passage of current and, at sufficiently high currents, we find that the diffusion limited deposition of a more noble cation leads to alloy deposition with less noble species.Comment: v3: To be published in Phys. Rev. E v2: Attempt to work around turnpage bug. Replaced color Fig. 4a with grayscale 13 pages, 7 figures in 10 files, REVTeX 4, SIunits.sty, follows cond-mat/030817

Factorized domain wall partition functions in trigonometric vertex models

We obtain factorized domain wall partition functions for two sets of trigonometric vertex models: 1. The N-state Deguchi-Akutsu models, for N = {2, 3, 4} (and conjecture the result for all N >= 5), and 2. The sl(r+1|s+1) Perk-Schultz models, for {r, s = \N}, where (given the symmetries of these models) the result is independent of {r, s}.Comment: 12 page

The Convective Urca Process with Implicit Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamics

Consideration of the role of the convective flux in the thermodymics of the convective Urca neutrino loss process in degenerate, convective, quasi-static, carbon-burning cores shows that the convective Urca process slows down the convective current around the Urca-shell, but, unlike the "thermal" Urca process, does not reduce the entropy or temperature for a given convective volume. Here we demonstrate these effects with two-dimensional numerical hydrodynamical calculations. These two-dimensional implicit hydrodynamics calculations invoke an artificial speeding up of the nuclear and weak rates. They should thus be regarded as indicative, but still qualitative. We find that, compared to a case with no Urca-active nuclei, the case with Urca effects leads to a higher entropy in the convective core because the energy released by nuclear burning is confined to a smaller volume by the effective boundary at the Urca shell. All else being equal, this will tend to accelerate the progression to dynamical runaway. We discuss the open issues regarding the impact of the convective Urca process on the evolution to the "smoldering phase" and then to dynamical runaway.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Performance data of US Naval Observatory VLG-11 hydrogen masers since September, 1983

In 1983, two VLC-11 masers were delivered to the U.S. Naval Observatory by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Last year the short-term stability of these masers was reported and the effect of this short-term stability on timekeeping performance was examined. Since the date of installation, 13 September 1983, data on the masers' long-term performance have been accumulated. The Allan variance, agma(tau), of the relative frequency between the masers reaches a minimum of about 4 parts in 10 to the 16th power at averaging times 5,000 seconds and rises at longer averaging times due, at least partly, to systematic frequency drift. The systematic frequency drifts, expressed in units of fractional frequency difference per day are discussed

Social inclusion: Context, theory and practice

This paper reviews the literature on social inclusion in Australia and provides an overview of the current situation regarding university/community engagement. Social inclusion is a contested term in both academic and policy literature entailing a range of interpretations. The paper will argue that there is a spectrum of ideological positions underlying theory, policy and practice. The broad theoretical construct put forward regards social inclusion in relation to areas (who is to be included?) and degrees (ideologies) of inclusion. Possible areas of inclusion are socio‐economic status, culture (including indigenous cultures), linguistic group, religion, geography (rural and remote/isolated), gender, sexual orientation, age (including youth and old age), physical and mental health/ability, and status with regard to unemployment, homelessness and incarceration. Degree of inclusion comprises a nested threefold schema incorporating a spectrum of ideologies involving—from narrowest to most encompassing—the neoliberal focus on access and economic factors, the social justice focus on community participation and the human potential focus on personal and collective empowerment stemming from positive psychology and critical/transformative pedagogies. Contemporary Australian social inclusion policy is related to UK policy. While policy rhetoric indicates a broad interpretation of social inclusion, concerns are raised that a dominant Economicist agenda favours corporate and national economic interests over social and psychological ones. Questions are also raised about the privileging of some areas of inclusion over others and the possibility that reductive interpretations of social inclusion are forms of cultural assimilation. Social inclusion in practice is addressed both in relation to degrees of inclusion and through case studies. The paper provides an overview of examples of social inclusion interventions, including a review of two initiatives of RMIT University and Victoria University focussing on industry/community partnerships. The paper concludes with some challenges and issues for further research on social inclusion including a proposed in-depth survey and consideration of literature on integrative phenomena such as ecological sustainability, and contextualisation of social inclusion within broader movements of global socio‐cultural change

Non locality and causal evolution in QFT

Non locality appearing in QFT during the free evolution of localized field states and in the Feynman propagator function is analyzed. It is shown to be connected to the initial non local properties present at the level of quantum states and then it does not imply a violation of Einstein's causality. Then it is investigated a simple QFT system with interaction, consisting of a classical source coupled linearly to a quantum scalar field, that is exactly solved. The expression for the time evolution of the state describing the system is given. The expectation value of any arbitrary ``good'' local observable, expressed as a function of the field operator and its space and time derivatives, is obtained explicitly at all order in the field-matter coupling constant. These expectation values have a source dependent part that is shown to be always causally retarded, while the non local contributions are source independent and related to the non local properties of zero point vacuum fluctuations.Comment: Submitted to Journal of Physics B: 16 pages: 1 figur